Methods and compositions for treating aged skin

ABSTRACT

A composition comprising an extract from damaged plant parts from the Moringaceae genus, at least one oligopeptide, at least one extract from the  Laminaria  genus, and whey protein and a method for stimulating collagen synthesis in skin cells.

This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser.No. 15/002,878, filed Jan. 21, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,687,439.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention is in the field of compositions for treating aging skin,and with particular efficacy in stimulating synthesis of collagen inskin cells.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Collagen is one of the main structural proteins in skin. It can be foundin the fibrillar or non-fibrillar form. The fibrillar form is mostcommon and includes collagen subtypes I, II, III, V, and XI. Types I,IV, and V are most often associated with skin and dermal tissue.Collagen found in the skin typically diminishes with age and causeslaxity, lines, and wrinkles on skin. Any active ingredient that inducesskin cells to increase collagen synthesis is desirable because itameliorates the adverse effects of collagen deficiency in skin cellswhich causes lines, wrinkles, and skin laxity.

It has been discovered that an extract obtained from damaged plant partsfrom Moringaceae genus in combination with a complex of actives exhibitsdramatically improved stimulation of collagen synthesis in skin cellsthat is dose/response sensitive. This is most unexpected because theMoringaceae extract alone exhibits no, or even decreased, activity instimulating collagen synthesis in skin cells.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to a topical composition comprising at leastone extract from damaged plant parts from a plant from the Moringaceaegenus, at least one oligopeptide, at least one extract from theLaminaria genus, and whey protein.

The invention is also directed to a method for stimulating collagensynthesis in skin cells by topically applying the composition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention comprises a combination of an extract obtained frominjured plant parts from the Moringaceae genus, at least oneoligopeptide, at least one extract from the Laminaria genus, and wheyprotein. The composition of the invention may be in the liquid,semi-solid, or solid form, and may be in the emulsion, solution,suspension, or anhydrous form. If in the solution or suspension form,the composition may contain from about 50 to 99.9% water. If in theemulsion form, the composition may contain from about 5-95% water andfrom about 5-95% oil. If in the anhydrous form, the composition maycomprise from about 10-99% oil and 10-99% solidifying agents.

The Extract from the Moringaceae Genus

The composition contains at least one extract obtained by extraction ofdamaged plant parts from a plant of the Moringaceae genus. The extractmay present in amounts ranging from 0.01 to 5%, preferably from about0.05 to 3%, more preferably from about 0.1 to 2% by weight of the totalcomposition.

Plants from this genus grow prevalently in Africa and India. Moringaceaeis a genus of flowering plants that vary in size from large trees tosmall flowering plants. There are 13 species. The species drouhardii,hildebrandtii, ovalifolia, and stenopetala are massive trees with largewater storing trunks (“bottle trees”) and small radial and symmetricalflowers. The species concanensis, oleifera, and peregrina are slendertrees with a tuberous juvenile stage and pale white or pink flowers. Thespecies arborea, borziana, longituba, pygmaea, rivae, ruspoliana in theform of trees, shrubs, or herbs. Moringa oleifera in particular is afast growing tree that is often referred to as the “drumstick tree”.Moringa leaves are said to contain high amounts of vitamins, polyphenolsand four unique sugar modified aromatic glycosides. Isothiocyanates fromMoringaceae are said to have many health benefits. Moringaisocthiocyanates (“MIC”). In general, isothiocyanates are formed when anenzyme, myrosinase (aka thioglucoside glycohydrolase), cleavesthio-linked glucose in precursor glucosinolates. Moringaceae extractswith higher concentrations of MICs are most desirable. Such extracts canbe prepared by injuring the plant parts to cause an increase in themyrosinase enzyme content, which in turn will promote conversion ofMoringa glucosinolates (“MGL”) into MICs.

Moringaceae extracts that may be used in the compositions of theinvention are further described in Phytochemistry, Vol 103 (2014), pages114-122; and U.S. provisional patent application Ser. Nos. 61/898,795filed Nov. 1, 2013; 62/032,496, filed Aug. 1, 2014; and U.S. Ser. No.14/683,730, a continuation-in-part of PCT/US2014/0063178, filed Oct. 30,2014, all being incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Injuring the plant parts can occur by processing steps such as pressing,slicing, pulverizing, crushing, blending, or grinding. Injury (andmyrosinase production) can also be induced by subjecting the plant partsto a solution containing water. This solution may be all water, or amixture of water of various solvents such as ethanol, propanol,isopropanol, butylene glycol propylene glycol, pentylene glycol, and soon. It is preferred that such injury occur at temperatures lower than100° C. and without otherwise exposing the plant parts to extremeweather conditions such as low temperatures or harsh drying conditions.The conditions inducing plant injury should take place for a period oftime sufficient to activate the myrosinase enzyme in an amountsufficient to cause increased production of MICs in the injured plantparts.

The plant parts that may be used include stems, leaves, roots, sprouts,seeds, twigs, flowers, bark, etc. Most preferred is where the plantparts that are injured are from seeds, sprouts, or leaves. It ispreferred that the plant parts are fresh, that is, they have not beendried or frozen.

After injury of the plant parts, they may be extracted or dried.Suitable extractants may be water or mixtures of water and solvents asnoted above. The injured plant parts may be extracted immediately, orextracted after drying.

Suitable extractants include water, alkanes, ethers, aromatic solvents,ketones and the like. Preferred is water alone, water/solvent mixtures,or solvent alone where the solvents comprise mono-, di-, or polyhydricalcohols such as ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol, methanol. Theextractant may be combined with the plant parts in any suitable ratioincluding 1:1-10 to 1-10:1 ratio of solvent/water respectively.

It is preferred that the concentration of MIC in the extract should beat least 0.5 to 10% of MICs per gram of plant material, preferably 0.75to 4%, more preferably from 0.8 to 5%. Harsh temperatures or drying ofplant parts will cause rapid degradation of the MICs present in theplant parts and resulting extract.

Most preferred is Moringa oleifera seed extract containing from about0.5 to 3.0% MICs, more preferably 0.75 to 2.5% MIC, most preferably fromabout 0.8 to 1.5% MICs. This extract may be purchased from Nutrasorb LLCunder the trade name Nutringa® which is mixture of Moringa oleifera seedextract and isoceteth-20 in a ratio of about 7.5 to 92.5 respectively,and containing about 1% MIC. The MIC content of the best embodimentextract when tested for stability at 25° C. and 37° C. for 30 days isgreater than 65%, preferably greater than 70%.

The Oligopeptide

The composition contains at least one oligopeptide in an amount rangingfrom about 0.000001 to 5%, preferably from about 0.00001 to 2%, morepreferably from about 0.0005 to 1% by weight of the total composition.

Suitable oligopeptides are those having from about 2 to 20, preferablyfrom about 4 to 10, or most preferably 5 to 6 amino acids. The peptidesmay be substituted with acyl groups such as acetyl, palmitoyl, and thelike. Examples of suitable oligopeptides include but are not limited todipeptides, tripeptides, pentapeptides, hexapeptides, heptapeptides, andso on. Suitable acyl groups include acetyl, palmitoyl, or myristoyl.Further specific examples include hexapeptides 1-60, said rangeincluding each whole integer between 1 and 60, hexapeptides that areacetylated, palmitoylated or myristoylated such as acetyl hexapeptides1, 7, 8, 19, 20, 22, 24, 30, 31, 37, 38, 39, or 40. Particularlypreferred is Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 which is obtained by the acetylationof Hexapeptide-8, a synthetic peptide containing arginine, glutamicacid, glutamine, and methionine. Acetyl Hexpeptide-8 can be purchasedfrom Lipotec S.A. under the tradename Argireline®, which is a solutionof about 0.05 parts Acetyl Hexpeptide-8, 93.35 parts water, with theremainder preservatives.

Also suitable are pentapeptides which may be acetylated, palmitoylated,or myristoylated. Examples of such pentapeptides include Pentapeptides1-50 which includes each integer inbetween. Particularly preferred isPalmitoyl pentapeptide-5.

Particularly preferred are oligopeptides having the INCI namesAcetyl-hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl oligopeptide, Tripeptide-32,Tetrapeptide-26, Palmitoyl hexapeptide-12, Oligopeptide-10,Oligopeptide-5, Oligopeptide-3, Pentapeptide-3, Tetrapeptide-51 amide,Heptapeptide, Palmitoyl pentapeptide-5 or combinations thereof. Thesepeptides are defined by the International Nomenclature for CosmeticIngredients (INCI) and are terms known in the art.

The Extract from Laminaria Genus

The composition contains at least one extract from the Laminaria genus.Laminaria is a genus that contains 30+ species of the brown algaePhaeophyceae, often referred to as kelp. Such extracts from theLaminaria genus include those of species abyssalis, agardhii,appressirhiza, brasiliensis, brongardiana, bulbosa, bullata, complanata,digitata, ephemera, farlowii, groenlandica, hyperborea, inclinitorhiza,multiplicata, nigripes, ochroleuca, pallida, platymeris, rodriguezi,ruprechtii, sachalinensis, setchellii, sinclairii, solidungula, oryezoensis. Preferred is where the extract from the Laminaria genus isalso a SIRT3 activator. Preferred is where the extract is from Laminariadigitata, and more specifically an extract having laminarin contentand/or a mannitol content ranging from 0.5 to 3% by weight, or fromabout 0.75 to 2.5%, by weight, or most preferably from about 1% byweight or greater, preferably around 2%. An example of a suitableextract of Laminaria digitata may be purchased from Barnet Productsunder the tradename Mitostime Di which is a mixture of 91 parts water, 8parts Laminaria digitata extract, and 1 part preservative. Preferablythe Laminaria digitata extract is obtained by aqueous extraction andleaching of lyophilized algae and sterilizing the microfiltration,followed by reverse osmosis to concentrate the active molecules.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the extract may be presentin the composition in amounts ranging from 0.0001 to 5%, preferably fromabout 0.001 to 2.5%, more preferably from about 0.01 to 1%.

Whey Protein

The composition contains whey protein, in an amount ranging from 0.01 to5%, preferably from about 0.05 to 3%, more preferably from about 0.1 to2% by weight of the total composition.

Whey protein is the polypeptide obtained from the fluid part of milkafter separation from curds. The whey protein may be hydrolyzed. Mostpreferred is a whey protein sold by Glanbia Foods having the trade namewhey protein NXP.

In one embodiment, the oligopeptide, Laminaria extract and whey proteinmay be supplied to the composition in the form of a pre-blend that canthen be formulated into the final product. In this case a ratio of fromabout 2-20 parts of oligopeptide, 1-10 parts Laminaria extract, and 0.1to 5 parts whey protein is appropriate. Most preferred is a ratio of 10parts Acetyl hexapeptide-8, 5 parts Laminaria digitata extract, and 1part whey protein. The composition of the invention may consist of theextract from damaged plant parts of Moringaceae genus, the oligopeptide,the extract from the Laminaria genus, and whey protein and no otheringredients.

The composition of the invention may also “consist essentially of” theextract from damaged plant parts of Moringaceae genus, the oligopeptide,the extract from the Laminaria genus, and whey protein, which means acomposition that contains the four ingredients mentioned and onlyadditional ingredients that do not affect that basic and novelcharacteristics of the composition such as water, preservatives,antioxidants, pH adjusters, solvents, and inert ingredients that do notaffect the collagen stimulating activity of the composition.

The composition of the invention may also “comprise” the fouringredients mentioned and include other ingredients including but notlimited to those set forth herein.

Other Ingredients

Oils

Suitable oils include silicones, esters, vegetable oils, synthetic oils,including but not limited to those set forth herein. The oils may bevolatile or nonvolatile, and are preferably in the form of a pourableliquid at room temperature. If present, the oils may range from about0.5 to 85%, preferably from about 1-75%, more preferably from about5-65% by weight of the total composition.

Cyclic and linear volatile silicones are available from variouscommercial sources including Dow Corning Corporation and GeneralElectric. The Dow Corning linear volatile silicones are sold under thetrade names Dow Corning 244, 245, 344, and 200 fluids. These fluidsinclude hexamethyldisiloxane (viscosity 0.65 centistokes (abbreviatedcst)), octamethyltrisiloxane (1.0 cst), decamethyltetrasiloxane (1.5cst), dodecamethylpentasiloxane (2 cst) and mixtures thereof, with allviscosity measurements being at 25° C.

Suitable branched volatile silicones include alkyl trimethicones such asmethyl trimethicone, a branched volatile silicone having the generalformula:

purchased from Shin-Etsu Silicones under the trade name TMF-1.5, havinga viscosity of 1.5 centistokes at 25° C.

Also suitable are various straight or branched chain paraffinichydrocarbons having 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18,19, or 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 8 to 16 carbon atoms. Suitablehydrocarbons include pentane, hexane, heptane, decane, dodecane,tetradecane, tridecane, and C₈₋₂₀ isoparaffins. Suitable C₁₂isoparaffins are manufactured by Permethyl Corporation under thetradename Permethyl 99A. Various C₁₆ isoparaffins commerciallyavailable, such as isohexadecane (having the tradename Permethyl R), arealso suitable.

Also suitable are esters formed by the reaction of a carboxylic acid andan alcohol. The alcohol and the carboxylic acids may both have fatty(C6-30) chains. Examples include hexyl laurate, butyl isostearate,hexadecyl isostearate, cetyl palmitate, isostearyl neopentanoate,stearyl heptanoate, isostearyl isononanoate, stearyl lactate, stearyloctanoate, stearyl stearate, isononyl isononanoate, and so on.

The ester may also be in the dimer or trimer form. Examples of suchesters include diisotearyl malate, neopentyl glycol dioctanoate, dibutylsebacate, dicetearyl dimer dilinoleate, dicetyl adipate, diisocetyladipate, diisononyl adipate, diisostearyl dimer dilinoleate,diisostearyl fumarate, diisostearyl malate, dioctyl malate, and so on.

Examples of other types of esters include those from arachidonic,citric, or behenic acids, such as triarachidin, tributyl citrate,triisostearyl citrate, tri C₁₂₋₁₃ alkyl citrate, tricaprylin,tricaprylyl citrate, tridecyl behenate, trioctyldodecyl citrate,tridecyl behenate; or tridecyl cocoate, tridecyl isononanoate, and soon.

Synthetic or naturally occurring glyceryl esters of fatty acids, ortriglycerides, are also suitable for use in the compositions. Bothvegetable and animal sources may be used. Examples of such oils includecastor oil, lanolin oil, C₁₀₋₁₈ triglycerides,caprylic/capric/triglycerides, sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil,sesame oil, camelina sativa oil, tamanu seed oil, coconut oil, corn oil,cottonseed oil, linseed oil, ink oil, olive oil, palm oil, illipebutter, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower seed oil,walnut oil, and the like.

Also suitable are synthetic or semi-synthetic glyceryl esters, such asfatty acid mono-, di-, and triglycerides which are natural fats or oilsthat have been modified, for example, mono-, di- or triesters of polyolssuch as glycerin. In an example, a fatty (C₁₂₋₂₂) carboxylic acid isreacted with one or more repeating glyceryl groups. glyceryl stearate,diglyceryl diiosostearate, polyglyceryl-3 isostearate, polyglyceryl-4isostearate, polyglyceryl-6 ricinoleate, glyceryl dioleate, glyceryldiisotearate, glyceryl tetraisostearate, glyceryl trioctanoate,diglyceryl distearate, glyceryl linoleate, glyceryl myristate, glycerylisostearate, PEG castor oils, PEG glyceryl oleates, PEG glycerylstearates, PEG glyceryl tallowates, and so on.

Nonvolatile silicone oils, both water soluble and water insoluble, arealso suitable for use in the composition. Such silicones preferably havea viscosity ranging from about greater than 5 to 800,000 cst, preferably20 to 200,000 cst at 25° C. Suitable water insoluble silicones includeamine functional silicones such as amodimethicone. Examples includedimethicone, phenyl dimethicone, diphenyl dimethicone, phenyltrimethicone, or trimethylsiloxyphenyl dimethicone. Other examplesinclude alkyl dimethicones such as cetyl dimethicone, stearyldimethcone, behenyl dimethicone, and the like.

Surfactants

The composition may contain one or more surfactants, especially if inthe emulsion form. However, such surfactants may be used if thecompositions are anhydrous also, and will assist in dispersingingredients that have polarity, for example pigments. Such surfactantsmay be silicone or organic based. The surfactants will aid in theformation of stable emulsions of either the water-in-oil or oil-in-waterform. If present, the surfactant may range from about 0.001 to 30%,preferably from about 0.005 to 25%, more preferably from about 0.1 to20% by weight of the total composition.

Silicone surfactants may be generically referred to as dimethiconecopolyol or alkyl dimethicone copolyol. In some cases the number ofrepeating ethylene oxide or propylene oxide units in the polymer arealso specified, such as a dimethicone copolyol that is also referred toas PEG-15/PPG-10 dimethicone, which refers to a dimethicone havingsubstituents containing 15 ethylene glycol units and 10 propylene glycolunits on the siloxane backbone. It is also possible for one or more ofthe methyl groups in the above general structure to be substituted witha longer chain alkyl (e.g. ethyl, propyl, butyl, etc.) or an ether suchas methyl ether, ethyl ether, propyl ether, butyl ether, and the like.

Examples of silicone surfactants are those sold by Dow Corning under thetradename Dow Corning 3225C Formulation Aid having the CTFA namecyclotetrasiloxane (and) cyclopentasiloxane (and) PEG/PPG-18dimethicone; or 5225C Formulation Aid, having the CTFA namecyclopentasiloxane (and) PEG/PPG-18/18 dimethicone; or Dow Coming 190Surfactant having the CTFA name PEG/PPG-18/18 dimethicone; or DowCorning 193 Fluid, Dow Corning 5200 having the CTFA name laurylPEG/PPG-18/18 methicone; or Abil EM 90 having the CTFA name cetylPEG/PPG-14/14 dimethicone sold by Goldschmidt; or Abil EM 97 having theCTFA name bis-cetyl PEG/PPG-14/14 dimethicone sold by Goldschmidt; orAbil WE 09 having the CTFA name cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 dimethicone in amixture also containing polyglyceryl-4 isostearate and hexyl laurate; orKF-6011 sold by Shin-Etsu Silicones having the CTFA name PEG-11 methylether dimethicone; KF-6012 sold by Shin-Etsu Silicones having the CTFAname PEG/PPG-20/22 butyl ether dimethicone; or KF-6013 sold by Shin-EtsuSilicones having the CTFA name PEG-9 dimethicone; or KF-6015 sold byShin-Etsu Silicones having the CTFA name PEG-3 dimethicone; or KF-6016sold by Shin-Etsu Silicones having the CTFA name PEG-9 methyl etherdimethicone; or KF-6017 sold by Shin-Etsu Silicones having the CTFA namePEG-10 dimethicone; or KF-6038 sold by Shin-Etsu Silicones having theCTFA name lauryl PEG-9 polydimethylsiloxyethyl dimethicone.

Also suitable are various types of crosslinked silicone surfactants thatare often referred to as emulsifying elastomers that contain at leastone hydrophilic moiety such as polyoxyalkylenated groups.Polyoxyalkylenated silicone elastomers that may be used in at least oneembodiment of the invention include those sold by Shin-Etsu Siliconesunder the names KSG-21, KSG-20, KSG-30, KSG-31, KSG-32, KSG-33; KSG-210which is dimethicone/PEG-10/15 crosspolymer dispersed in dimethicone;KSG-310 which is PEG-15 lauryl dimethicone crosspolymer; KSG-320 whichis PEG-15 lauryl dimethicone crosspolymer dispersed in isododecane;KSG-330 (the former dispersed in triethylhexanoin), KSG-340 which is amixture of PEG-10 lauryl dimethicone crosspolymer and PEG-15 lauryldimethicone crosspolymer.

Also suitable are polyglycerolated silicone elastomers like thosedisclosed in PCT/WO 2004/024798, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety. Such elastomers include Shin-Etsu's KSGseries, such as KSG-710 which is dimethicone/polyglycerin-3 crosspolymerdispersed in dimethicone; or lauryl dimethicone/polyglycerin-3crosspolymer dispersed in a variety of solvent such as isododecane,dimethicone, triethylhexanoin, sold under the Shin-Etsu tradenamesKSG-810, KSG-820, KSG-830, or KSG-840. Also suitable are silicones soldby Dow Corning under the tradenames 9010 and DC9011.

The composition may comprise one or more nonionic organic surfactants.Suitable nonionic surfactants include alkoxylated alcohols, or ethers,formed by the reaction of an alcohol with an alkylene oxide, usuallyethylene or propylene oxide. Preferably the alcohol is either a fattyalcohol having 6 to 30 carbon atoms. Examples of such ingredientsinclude Steareth 2-100, which is formed by the reaction of stearylalcohol and ethylene oxide and the number of ethylene oxide units rangesfrom 2 to 100; Beheneth 5-30 which is formed by the reaction of behenylalcohol and ethylene oxide where the number of repeating ethylene oxideunits is 5 to 30; Ceteareth 2-100, formed by the reaction of a mixtureof cetyl and stearyl alcohol with ethylene oxide, where the number ofrepeating ethylene oxide units in the molecule is 2 to 100; Ceteth 1-45which is formed by the reaction of cetyl alcohol and ethylene oxide, andthe number of repeating ethylene oxide units is 1 to 45, and so on. Allrecitations of units include all whole integers between the range.

Other alkoxylated alcohols are formed by the reaction of fatty acids andmono-, di- or polyhydric alcohols with an alkylene oxide. For example,the reaction products of C₆₋₃₀ fatty carboxylic acids and polyhydricalcohols which are monosaccharides such as glucose, galactose, methylglucose, and the like, with an alkoxylated alcohol. Examples includepolymeric alkylene glycols reacted with glyceryl fatty acid esters suchas PEG glyceryl oleates, PEG glyceryl stearate; or PEGpolyhydroxyalkanotes such as PEG dipolyhydroxystearate wherein thenumber of repeating ethylene glycol units ranges from 3 to 1000.

Other suitable nonionic surfactants include alkoxylated sorbitan andalkoxylated sorbitan derivatives. For example, alkoxylation, inparticular ethoxylation of sorbitan provides polyalkoxylated sorbitanderivatives. Esterification of polyalkoxylated sorbitan providessorbitan esters such as the polysorbates. For example, thepolyalkyoxylated sorbitan can be esterified with C6-30, preferablyC12-22 fatty acids. Examples of such ingredients include Polysorbates20-85, sorbitan oleate, sorbitan sesquioleate, sorbitan palmitate,sorbitan sesquiisostearate, sorbitan stearate, and so on.

Humectants

It may also be desirable to include one or more humectants in thecomposition. If present, such humectants may range from about 0.001 to25%, preferably from about 0.005 to 20%, more preferably from about 0.1to 15% by weight of the total composition. Examples of suitablehumectants include glycols, sugars, and the like. Suitable glycols arein monomeric or polymeric form and include polyethylene andpolypropylene glycols such as PEG 4-200, which are polyethylene glycolshaving from 4 to 200 repeating ethylene oxide units; as well as C₁₋₆alkylene glycols such as propylene glycol, butylene glycol, pentyleneglycol, and the like. Suitable sugars, some of which are also polyhydricalcohols, are also suitable humectants. Examples of such sugars includeglucose, fructose, honey, hydrogenated honey, inositol, maltose,mannitol, maltitol, sorbitol, sucrose, xylitol, xylose, and so on. Alsosuitable is urea. Preferably, the humectants used in the composition ofthe invention are C₁₋₆, preferably C₂₋₄ alkylene glycols, mostparticularly butylene glycol.

Botanical Extracts

It may be desirable to include one or more botanical extracts in thecompositions. If so, suggested ranges are from about 0.0001 to 10%,preferably about 0.0005 to 8%, more preferably about 0.001 to 5% byweight of the total composition. Suitable botanical extracts includeextracts from plants (herbs, roots, flowers, fruits, seeds) such asflowers, fruits, vegetables, and so on, including yeast ferment extract,Padina Pavonica extract, thermus thermophilus ferment extract, camelinasativa seed oil, boswellia serrata extract, olive extract, AribodopsisThaliana extract, Acacia Dealbata extract, Acer Saccharinum (sugarmaple), acidopholus, acorns, aesculus, agaricus, agave, agrimonia,algae, aloe, citrus, brassica, cinnamon, orange, apple, blueberry,cranberry, peach, pear, lemon, lime, pea, seaweed, caffeine, green tea,chamomile, willowbark, mulberry, poppy, and those set forth on pages1646 through 1660 of the CTFA Cosmetic Ingredient Handbook, EighthEdition, Volume 2. Further specific examples include, but are notlimited to, Glycyrrhiza Glabra, Salix Nigra, Macrocycstis Pyrifera,Pyrus Malus, Saxifraga Sarmentosa, Vitis Vinifera, Morus Nigra,Scutellaria Baicalensis, Anthemis Nobilis, Salvia Sclarea, RosmarinusOfficianalis, Citrus Medica Limonum, Panax Ginseng, SiegesbeckiaOrientalis, Fructus Mume, Ascophyllum Nodosum, Bifida Ferment lysate,Glycine Soja extract, Beta Vulgaris, Haberlea Rhodopensis, PolygonumCuspidatum, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis, Vitis Vinifera, SelaginellaTamariscina, Humulus Lupulus, Citrus Reticulata Peel, Punica Granatum,Asparagopsis, Curcuma Longa, Menyanthes Trifoliata, Helianthus Annuus,Hordeum Vulgare, Cucumis Sativus, Evernia Prunastri, Evernia Furfuracea,and mixtures thereof.

Particulate Materials

The compositions of the invention may contain particulate materials inthe form of pigments, inert particulates, or mixtures thereof. Ifpresent, suggested ranges are from about 0.01-75%, preferably about0.5-70%, more preferably about 0.1-65% by weight of the totalcomposition. In the case where the composition may comprise mixtures ofpigments and powders, suitable ranges include about 0.01-75% pigment and0.1-75% powder, such weights by weight of the total composition.

The particulate matter may be colored or non-colored powders. Suitablenon-pigmented powders include bismuth oxychloride, titanated mica, fumedsilica, spherical silica, polymethylmethacrylate, micronized teflon,boron nitride, acrylate copolymers, aluminum silicate, aluminum starchoctenylsuccinate, bentonite, calcium silicate, cellulose, chalk, cornstarch, diatomaceous earth, fuller's earth, glyceryl starch, hectorite,hydrated silica, kaolin, magnesium aluminum silicate, magnesiumtrisilicate, maltodextrin, montmorillonite, microcrystalline cellulose,rice starch, silica, talc, mica, titanium dioxide, zinc laurate, zincmyristate, zinc rosinate, alumina, attapulgite, calcium carbonate,calcium silicate, dextran, kaolin, nylon, silica silylate, silk powder,sericite, soy flour, tin oxide, titanium hydroxide, trimagnesiumphosphate, walnut shell powder, or mixtures thereof. The above mentionedpowders may be surface treated with lecithin, amino acids, mineral oil,silicone, or various other agents either alone or in combination, whichcoat the powder surface and render the particles more lipophilic innature.

Suitable pigments are organic or inorganic. Organic pigments aregenerally various aromatic types including azo, indigoid,triphenylmethane, anthroquinone, and xanthine dyes which are designatedas D&C and FD&C blues, browns, greens, oranges, reds, yellows, etc.Organic pigments generally consist of insoluble metallic salts ofcertified color additives, referred to as the Lakes. Inorganic pigmentsinclude iron oxides, ultramarines, chromium, chromium hydroxide colors,and mixtures thereof. Iron oxides of red, blue, yellow, brown, black,and mixtures thereof are suitable.

Vitamins and Antioxidants

The compositions of the invention may contain vitamins and/or coenzymes,as well as antioxidants. If so, 0.001-10%, preferably 0.01-8%, morepreferably 0.05-5% by weight of the total composition is suggested.Suitable vitamins include ascorbic acid and derivatives thereof such asascorbyl palmitate, tetrahexydecyl ascorbate, and so on; the B vitaminssuch as thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxin, and so on, as well as coenzymessuch as thiamine pyrophoshate, flavin adenin dinucleotide, folic acid,pyridoxal phosphate, tetrahydrofolic acid, and so on. Also Vitamin A andderivatives thereof are suitable. Examples are retinyl palmitate,retinol. retinoic acid, as well as Vitamin A in the form of betacarotene. Also suitable is Vitamin E and derivatives thereof such asVitamin E acetate, nicotinate, or other esters thereof. In addition,Vitamins D and K are suitable.

The invention further comprises treating skin to stimulate collagensynthesis by topically applying a composition comprising an extract fromdamaged plant parts of Moringaceae genus, at least one oligopeptide, atleast one extract from the Laminaria genus, and whey protein. Thecompositions may be applied in the forms mentioned herein, as part ofskin care regimens. For example, the composition may be applied to theskin as a night cream or cream applied to skin prior to a period ofbodily rest such as a nap or sleep. The composition may be applied twotimes a day, in the morning and in the evening after cleansing the skin.The composition may be applied to the skin over skin care products, inthe form of foundations or other color cosmetics.

The invention will be further described in connection with the followingexamples which are set forth for the purposes of illustration only.

Example 1

Moringa oleifera seed extract was tested at various concentrations forits ability to stimulate collagen production in normal human dermalfibroblasts (“NHDF”) from a 40 year old donor in a collagen inductionassay. Moringa oleifera extract diluted in dimethylsulfoxide (“DMSO”) (%concentrations 0.003125, 0.00625 and 0.0125), Moringa oleifera exractdiluted in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium supplemented with 10%Hyclone® bovine calf serum and 1% Cellgro® penicillin-streptomycinsolution (“DMEM”) (% concentrations of 0.0000625, 0.000125, 0.00025,0.0005), positive control (L-ascorbic acid, 18 ug/ml), and DMEM alonewere tested.

Cell Growth and Maintenance. Aged NHDF were obtained from ZenBio.Fibroblasts were cultured in DMEM 1× (Life Tech) supplemented with 10%bovine calf serum (Hyclone) and 1% PenStrep solution (Cellgro). Cellswere regularly maintained; subcultured as needed.

Plating Cells.

Normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF, aged) were plated on a 96-wellplate in supplemented DMEM (as indicated above). All rows, except forRow A, were seeded with cells (Row A was left blank to allow forbackground subtraction). Plate was allowed to incubate at standardconditions (37° C., 5% CO₂, 95% humidity) overnight.

Preparation & Treatment of Cells.

The following treatments were created in full media (1% P/S and 10% BCSsupplemented) DMEM: (1) Laminaria digitata extract (0.5%), Acetylhexapeptide-8 (1%) and whey protein (0.1%, solid) mixture alone; (2)Mixture+Moringa oleifera extract (0.000125%); (3) Mixture+Moringaoleifera extract (0.00025%); (4) Mixture+Moringa oleifera extract(0.00035%); and (5) Mixture+Moringa oleifera extract (0.0005%). Eachtreatment (200 ul/well) was added to the corresponding well of the96-well plate. Treated plate was allowed to incubate at standardconditions (37° C., 5% CO₂, 95% humidity) for 72 hr.

Viability Assay.

Following 72 hours of incubation, supernatants were harvested and storedprior to collagen analysis. A 10% alamar blue (Life Tech) solution wascreated in warmed (37° C.) full media and assay was completed exactly asper manufacturer's (Life Tech) protocol. Alamar Blue results weredetermined using a plate reader. Data was analyzed using the SoftMax Prosoftware and Excel.

Assessment of Collagen Production.

Collagen production was assessed using the Pro-collagen Type I collagenEIA Kit (Takara) as per manufacturer's protocol, exactly as described.Plate was read using the Gemini M2E plate reader and results werecompared.

The results are set forth below and show that the Moringa oleifera seedextract exhibits varying levels of efficacy in stimulating collagensynthesis in NHDF at varying concentrations. In particular, the collagenstimulating activity is not dose dependent and also appears to varybased upon whether diluent is DMEM or DMSO. The results are set forthbelow:

% increase in Test Material Concentration collagen induction L-ascorbicacid (+Control) 18 ug/ml +16 Moringa extract (DMEM) 0.0000625 −13Moringa extract (DMEM) 0.000125 +8 Moringa extract (DMEM) 0.00025 −22Moringa extract (DMEM) 0.0005 −20 Moringa extract (DMSO) 0.003125 −22Moringa extract (DMSO) 0.00625 −3 Moringa extract (DMSO) 0.0125 −11

In general it is seen that Moringa oleifera extract itself does not haveactivity in stimulating collagen production in NHDF, and in fact, inmost cases, causes decreased collagen synthesis.

Example 2

The combination of Moringa oleifera seed extract and a mixture of Acetylhexapeptide-8, Laminaria digitata extract and whey protein were testedfor collagen stimulation in NHDF from a 40 year old donor. Increasingconcentrations of Moringa oleifera extract were combined with a mixtureof a 1% solution of Acetyl hexapeptide-8 solution, 0.5% Laminariadigitata extract solution, and 0.1% whey protein in Supplemented DMEM.

The tests were performed according to the method in Example 1. Theresults are set forth below:

Percent Increase in Collagen Synthesis over Test Material: Mixture Alone(%) Mixture + 0.0001% Moringa oleifera extract 4.50 Mixture + 0.0002%Moringa oleifera extract 6.60 Mixture + 0.0003 Moringa oleifera extract12.00 Mixture + 0.0004 Moringa oleifera extract 16.54 Mixture + 0.0005Moringa oleifera extract 22.00 Mixture + 0.0006 Moringa oleifera extract35.19

The above results show that addition of increasing concentrations ofMoringa oleifera extract to the Mixture provided a dose responseincrease in collagen synthesis in fibroblasts. As noted in Example 1,Moringa oleifera extract itself largely causes decreased collagensynthesis in fibroblasts, and exhibits no dose response relationship toincreasing concentrations.

Example 3

A skin care composition according to the invention was made as follows:

Ingredient % by weight Water QS100 Isononyl 6.0 isononanoate C12-20 acidPEG-8 3.0 ester Glycerin 2.6 Dimethicone 1.5 Shea butter 1.5 Cetylalcohol 1.4 Butylene glycol 1.2 PEG-100 stearate 0.75 Acetyl glucosamine0.50 Sucrose 0.50 Preservatives 1.0 Ammonium 0.35 acryloyldimethyltaurate Sorbitol 0.35 Pentylene glycol 0.25 Algae extract 0.25 Caffeine0.20 Carbomer 0.20 Potassium cetyl 0.20 phosphate Tocopheryl acetate0.20 Ethylhexylglycerin 0.15 Aquacell* 1.00 Acrylates/C10-30 0.11 alkylacrylates crosspolymer Phytofix** 0.20 Whey protein 0.10 Glucose 0.10Isoceteth-20 0.10 Laminaria digitata 0.04 extract Moringa oleifera seed0.01 extract (1% MIC) Acetyl hexapeptide 8 0.01 *Aquacell: a mixture ofwater, Citrullus lanatus (watermelon) fruit extract, Pyrus malus (apple)fruit extract, Lens esculenta (Lentil) fruit extract, sodium lactate,and sodium PCA. **Phytofix: a mixture of propylene glycol dicaprate,Helianthus annus (sunflower) seed cake, Hordeum vulgare (barley)extract, Cucumis sativus (cucumber) fruit extract.

While the invention has been described in connection with the preferredembodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention tothe particular form set forth but, on the contrary, it is intended tocover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may beincluded within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for stimulating collagen synthesisin skin cells by applying a composition comprising an extract from live,damaged plant parts from the Moringa genus which release myosinaseenzyme in an amount sufficient to cause the extract to contain Moringaisothiocyanates, in combination with a mixture of an oligopeptide, anextract from the Laminaria genus, and whey protein.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the composition is applied in the form of a skin creamor lotion.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition is appliedonce or twice per day.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the extract fromMoringa genus has a Moringa isothiocyanate concentration ranging from0.5 to 3.5% by weight of the total Moringa extract.
 5. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the oligopeptide is selected from an acetylated peptide,a palmitoylated peptide, a myristolated peptide, or combinationsthereof.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the extract from the Moringagenus is Moringa oleifera, the oligopeptide is an acetylated peptidewhich is Acetyl hexapeptide-8, and the extract from Laminaria genus isLaminaria digitata.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the composition isin the form of an emulsion.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein theoligopeptide is an acetylated, or palmitoylated peptide.
 9. The methodof claim 8 wherein the oligopeptide is a hexapeptide.
 10. The method ofclaim 9 wherein the hexapeptide is an acetylated hexapeptide.
 11. Themethod of claim 10 wherein the acetylated hexapeptide is acetylhexapeptide-8.
 12. The method of claim 1 wherein the Laminaria genus isLaminaria digitata.
 13. The method of claim 1 wherein the stimulation ofcollagen synthesis in skin cells is demonstrated on fibroblasts testedin vitro.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the stimulation in collagensynthesis in skin cells is a dose/response increase in collagensynthesis.
 15. A method for stimulating collagen synthesis in skin cellsby applying an aqueous based composition comprising an extract fromlive, damaged plant parts from the Moringa genus which release myosinaseenzyme in an amount sufficient to cause the extract to contain fromabout 0.5 to 3.5% by weight of the total extract of Moringaisothiocyanates; at least one oligopeptide; an extract from theLaminaria genus, and whey protein.
 16. The method of claim 15 whereinthe oligopeptide is an acetylated peptide, a myristoylated peptide, apalmitoylated peptide, or combinations thereof.
 17. The method of claim16 wherein the extract from the Laminaria genus is Laminaria digitata.18. The method of claim 15 wherein the aqueous based composition is anemulsion.